Ore-feeder.



N. V. FITTS.

OBE FEEDER. nrmonzon run my 21. 1906.

Patented June 22, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

mtomm THE NORRI5 PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, n, c.

' H N.- v. FITTS.

ORE FEEDER.

APPLIOATION Hum my 21. 1900.

Patented Jun 22,1909.

MU H

UNITED STATES PATEN OFTOE.

NORMAN V. FITTS, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASS IGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO COLORADO IRON WORKS COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ORE-FEEDER.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, NORMAN V. Frrrs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OreFeeders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ore feeders of the class set forth in Letters Patent No. 805,12s, issued to me Nov. 21st, 1905.

My present invention relates to certain novel features of construction and arrangement, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an ore feeder equipped with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, the parts being shown on a larger scale and viewed from the same position as in Fig. 1. Fig. i is a section taken on the line AB Fig. 3 looking downwardly. Fig. 5 is a view of Fig. 3 looking toward the right. Fig. 6 is asection taken on the line CD Fig. 5 looking downwardly.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a hopper whose bottom opening is closed by an inclined revoluble feed plate 6. The bottom portion of the hopper is also open in front and flanges 7 and 8 lead outwardly from this opening on opposite sides their lower edges being in contact with the feed plate. During the operation of the feeder the ore therefrom being in contact with the revoluble feed plate passes through the front opening of the hopper into the space on the feed plate between thefianges 7 and 8, and as the feed plate is rotated, the flange 8 scrapes the ore from the feed plate and by stopping its further travel causes it to fall or be discharged into the mortar of the stamp mill (not shown). In a construction of this class, a device 9 connected with the stamp (not shown) of the mill, acts on a lever to rotate an inclined shaft 12, to the lower ex- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 21, 1906.

Patented June .22, 1909.

Serial No. 318,088.

treniity of which is secured the rotary feed plate 6. This shaft 12 occupies a position somewhat inclined to the vertical. The plane of the feed plate 6 is at right angles to the axis of the shaft 12. The feed plate is inclined to the horizontal for the purpose of facilitating the travel of the ore from the hopper 5 outward as the feed plate is rotated. The lower surface of the feed plate is provided with a hub 6 which is spl-ined on the shaft 12 as shown at 6 The lower extremity of the shaft 12 is threaded and to it is applied a nut 13 which is split on one side where it is provided with laterally extending projections 14: connected by a clamping bolt 15. By means of this bolt the nut is locked securely in place upon the threaded extremity of the shaft and limits the downward movement of the feed plate. The shaft 12 is provided above the feed plate with an integral collar 16, which collar resting on the upper bearing 17 hereinafter described, supports the feed plate. Below this collar are two bearings 17 formed integral with the hop per. The shaft passes through these bearings and turns freely therein. This construction serves to connect the hopper in operative relation with the feeder mechanism.

Below the upper hopper bearing 17, ahorizontal shaft 18 is journaled on the hopper and forms the support for a lever 19 which is keyed to one end of said shaft 18, and whose long arm 20 is acted on by the actuating device 9. This lever has an upwardly projecting arm 21. A retracting lever arm 22 is keyed to the outer end of the horizontal shaft 18. The extremity of this arm 22 remote from the shaft is provided with a depending rod 28 which passes freely through a spring pocket2l mounted on the hopper. This spring pocket receives one end of a coil spring 25 which engages a cup-shaped stop 26 held in place by nuts 27 applied to the lower threaded extremity of the rod. This spring serves to return the lever to its normal position after its long arm 20 has been depressed by the force acting to operate the feeder. The upper arm 21 of the lever 19 occupies a position approximately at right angles to the arm 20 giving this leverthe shape of a bell crank. The upper extremity 21 of the arm 21 is provided on one side with a rounded or convex surface 21 which engages an opposing surface 28 of similar shape formed on a lug 28 formed integral with the hub of the lower wedge block 29 through which the shaft 12 passes. This lower wedge block 29 is provided with projecting lugs 29 to which lugs 30 formed on a housing 31, are bolted and has a member 32 formed integral. This member 32 has an inclined or beveled face 33 which engages a correspondingly beveled member 34 formed integral with the upper wedge block 35 through which the shaft 12 passes. The upper extremity of this upper wedge block 35 is provided with a friction disk 36 which cooperates with an opposing disk 37 provided with a hub 38 splined upon the upper extremity of the shaft 12 as shown at 39. The upper extremity of this shaft is threaded as shown at 12 and to which is applied a nut 40 split on one side and provided with lugs 51 through which a clamping bolt 52 is passed whereby the nut is locked securely in place on the shaft after the elements mounted thereon are properly adjusted.

In order to hold the friction disk 36 normally in engagement with the disk 37 and take up all lost motion, I employ a tension bolt 53 which passes through a lug 54: formed on the housing Y31, and a lug 55 formed on the upper wedge block 35. One extremity of the bolt is threaded as shown at 56 and to this threaded end is applied a thumb nut 57 which engages a tension spring 58 located between the nut and the lug 55. By reason of this construction the tension of the spring has a tendency to hold the friction faces 33 and 3 1 normally in contact with each other whereby the friction disk 36 is held nor mally in contact with the disk 37.

In order to return the lower wedge block 29 and its connections to their normal position after each operating movement of the I lever 19, and to compensate for the varying rotative movement of arm 21 and lug 28, a tension bolt 59 is employed. This bolt passes through the upper extremity of the lever arm 21 and also through the lug 28. A tension spring 60 is interposed bet-ween the lug 28 and a stop 61 loose on the bolt. This stop is held in any desired position of adjustment by nuts 62. During the return movement of the lever 19 after each operating stroke or downward movement of its long arm 20, the lug 28 and its connections will also be returned to their normal limit of movement,

or the position necessary for the next operating stroke of the lever, and the angular advance, due to their rotating about different shafts, will be compensated for.

The movement of the lever arm 20 and consequently the travel of the feed disk, is regulated by means of a screw 63 threaded in a lug 64:, the upper extremity of the screw engaging the retracting lever 22 fast on the shaft 18 as heretofore described. If it is desired that the lever arm 22 and the feed plate shall have less travel every time the actuating stamp (not shown) makes a downward movement, the screw 63 is adjusted whereby its upper extremity is elevated thus lowering the tappet extremity of the arm 20 and diminishing the travel of the latter during a given stroke of the stamp. On the other hand if it is desired to increase the stroke of the lever arm 20 and the travel of the feed plate, the screw 63 will be lowered, allowing the outer extremity of the lever arm 20 to assume a more elevated position and consequently allowing it to travel through a greater are during each descent of the actuating stamp. The lower extremity of the screw 63 is provided with a hand wheel 64 Above this hand wheel is a hand wheel nut 63 which engages the lug 6 f serving as a jam nut.

The nut 13 applied to the lower threaded extremity of the feed plate shaft is an important feature since it permits the adjustment of the feed plate on the shaft, in order to cause the plate to occupy the proper position with reference to the bottom of the hopper. Without this adjustable feature, great accuracy in the manufacture of the construction would be required, while by the use of this feature the feed plate may be caused to occupy its proper position in harmony with the other parts by the simple adjustment of the nut.

From the foregoing description the use and operation of my improved construction will be readily understood. Every time a stamp (not shown) descends, the part 9 connected therewith acts on the long arm 20 of the lever 19 and throws the latter downwardly, whereby the arm 21 is caused to act on the lug 28 and its connections whereby the lower wedge block 29 and the beveled face 33 are given a partial rotary movement. This movement of the face 33 acts on the beveled face 34: to give the latter a thrust in the direction of the axis of the feed plate shaft. This thrust brings the friction disk 36 in operative relation with the disk 37 causing the latter to rotate with the disk 36, thus imparting a partial rotary movement to the shaft 12 and the feed plate. The reaction of this thrust is taken by the integral collar 16.

Attention is called to the fact that the beveled faces 33 and 3 1- constitute only one form of clutch mechanism which may be employed in connection with my improve ment. My present invention is intended to embrace mechanism other than ordinary gears for imparting a partial rotary movement to a clutch member mounted on the feed plate shaft, whereby a succession of partial rotary movements are imparted to the said shaft.-

While I prefer to employ the form of clutch mechanism heretofore described and also as set forth and claimed in my aforesaid patent, it must be understood that I do not limit the invention thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a hopper, of a rotary feed plate, an operating shaft having its lower extremity threaded, the feed plate being mounted on the shaft, a clamping nut applied to the threaded extremity of the feed plate whereby the latter may be adjusted longitudinally of the shaft, a friction device made fast to the shaft, a clutch member loosely mounted on the shaft, an operative connection between the clutch member and the friction device, a lug connected with the clutch member, operating means acting on the lug to impart a partial rotary movement to the clutch member, the friction device, the shaft and the feed plate, and tension means connected with the clutch member for the purpose set forth.

2. In an ore feeder, the combination with an operating shaft, a rotary feed plate mounted on the shaft and connected to rotate therewith, but slidable longitudinally thereon, and means connected with the lower extremity of the shaft, adjustable thereon and forming a support for the feed plate substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

NORMAN V. FITTS.

Vitnesses DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN. 

